Cornflower - Tom Pouce Pink
Lovely as they are, Cornflowers can become tall and straggly in garden borders. Cornflower ‘Tom Pouce’ is a sturdy and compact version that remains perfectly well-behaved at the front of the border, creating swathes of double pink flowers. The stem length is ideal for cutting and the blooms can be used in both fresh and dried arrangements. Cornflowers are a doddle to grow, enjoying poor dry soils and attracting bees and butterflies to the garden.
Height: 40cm (16in). Spread: 30cm (12in).
Lovely as they are, Cornflowers can become tall and straggly in garden borders. Cornflower ‘Tom Pouce’ is a sturdy and compact version that remains perfectly well-behaved at the front of the border, creating swathes of double pink flowers. The stem length is ideal for cutting and the blooms can be used in both fresh and dried arrangements. Cornflowers are a doddle to grow, enjoying poor dry soils and attracting bees and butterflies to the garden.
Height: 40cm (16in). Spread: 30cm (12in).
Lovely as they are, Cornflowers can become tall and straggly in garden borders. Cornflower ‘Tom Pouce’ is a sturdy and compact version that remains perfectly well-behaved at the front of the border, creating swathes of double pink flowers. The stem length is ideal for cutting and the blooms can be used in both fresh and dried arrangements. Cornflowers are a doddle to grow, enjoying poor dry soils and attracting bees and butterflies to the garden.
Height: 40cm (16in). Spread: 30cm (12in).
Sow cornflower seeds outdoors where they are to grow from March to April. Choose a position in full sun on well drained soil which has been raked to a fine tilth. Sow seeds thinly, at a depth of 3mm (1/8") in drills spaced 30cm (12") apart. Water the ground regularly, especially during dry periods. Germination usually takes 14-21days. When cornflower seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them out to 15cm (6") apart.
Alternatively, grow cornflowers indoors from August to September for early summer flowering next year. Sow cornflowers on the surface of a good quality seed compost at a temperature of 18-23C (65-73F) and cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Do not exclude light as this helps germination. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow them on in cooler conditions until large enough to move outdoors. Overwinter cornflowers plants in cool, light, frost-free conditions before planting out the following spring, or growing on as greenhouse pot plants.
Water regularly until plants are fully established. Deadhead faded cornflower blooms to prolong the flowering period.
